Would I be able to place an ‘orginal’ on the bed, select edges and feature to cut or engrave, then change out the ‘original’ with a piece of raw material and effectively make a copy?
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This has been suggested before (I would really use it!) and I think Dan said that its in the “idea hopper”. 
Thanks!
Cant find the post but @dan said he took a logo off an ipad or ipod then engraved it onto another material, so yes, that should be doable…
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No problem! To clarify the “hopper” are things that they will consider implementing but haven’t committed to it.
That’s a really good idea. I could see how it would be very difficult to do well though.
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This sorta demoed this.
I guess the question is, can it just do the initial scan without doing the cut/engrave on the first op.
In the video above they’ve demoed that the initial scan could be reused for additional ops.
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I guess I wasn’t sure if the optics would be able to identify an edge as well as it does the black marker that is illustrated in that video.
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Well you can also scan separately and make your own document. I can’t imagine the camera inside the GF is that superior to a flatbed (most of those can scan at least 1200dpi for cheap ones, and art grade ones go up to 4000dpi). Scanning a logo off a 3D object is tougher (only because depth of field), but if it is a regular object (say a sphere) then photoshop can undistort it.
Well the idea here is if my niece hands me artwork and wants me to etch it. I don’t have to walk over to my scanner or my desktop to do it. If her friend standing next to her wants one too I’ll be able to replicate the job by placing another piece of stock in the machine. Or maybe drop and drop a dupe and cut them other both out at the same time? (That’s the question, can you scan and make dupes before the first one gets cut- or you have to do one to do many) Desktop free.
I think that’s half of the question- The demo’s I’ve seen all involve black marker on paper. If I place an object on the bed will the optics and the software be able to recognize the edge profile of the object as well as whatever is drawn on it or does it need the high contrast between the colors. I would think that it could but I don’t like to assume, there may be more to it than I recognize.
I think it just needs a color difference @dan maybe give more details? I think the ‘Engrave by shade’ option in the UI controls this (Maybe?)
The way my laser uses color, which I assume will be similar to the GF is… primary colors, secondary colors and black are used for vector cutting and etching if they are a specific line width. The raster enraving is handled by black and shades of grey. So if your daughter draws in black… it will raster whatever the line is. If she draws in color I assume the glowforge will convert that to different shades of grey and raster accordingly. The lighter the gray will result in a more shallow raster depth. As black would be 100% raster depth.
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@ghessinger, you’re asking about copying an already engraved object, right?
Like, if you made this object…
… but then lost the original file and/or drawing. Could you place the object into a Glowforge and recreate it. Sounds like a desirable feature, if it could possibly be done.
(image source: The Glowforge 3D Laser Printer - Design Milk )
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There’s a few parts to your question, and I’ll try to get them all. I’ll just speak to what’s working right now.
You can scan, swap materials, engrave.
You can scan anything that’s black and white.
Black is automatically engraved. You can identify what you want cut.
You can turn engraves or cutlines on and off (if you want only cut and not engrave, for example).
You can make multiple prints from a single scan.
Hope this helps!
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